The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-05-14

Bank Of Engl0nA FOrGerle0 0f
Foarteea Years Age.

in the Pentonville prison, England,
as announced by cable the other
day, says the New York World.
will probably remind some readers
of the great forgeries perpetrated
upon the Bank of England just
fourteen years ago. For the auda-
city of its conception. the magni-
tude of the fraud perpetrated and
the misdirected skill and ingenuity
with which it was ATTEMPTED to be
carried out, this great crime stands
without a parallel in criminal his
tory. In the spring of 1872 three
Americans, George Bidwell, his
brother Austin Bidwcll, and George
mcdonnell, arrived in London for
the purpose of engaging in some
scheme of fraud, but of what pre-
else nature they had not yet deter
mined. Macdonnell had already
served some time in the New Jer-
sey penitentiary, whence he had
been pardoned through the infiu-
ence of powerful relatives. All
were comparatively young. Austin
Bidwell and mcdonnell being not
yet thirty, and George Bidwell
thirty-three years of age. They
were all well eduaated, each speak
ing several languages, of good ap-
pearance and address, and they
had between $4,000 and $4,000
in cash. They took lodgings in
one Of the London suburbs, un-
der assumed names. Their first OBJ
iect was to obtain some standing
in one of the branch Banks of Eng
land, and this they finally sue
ceeded in doing through a tailor
with whom they had dealt liber-
ally and who introduced Austin
Bidwell, who went by the name Of
Frederick Albert Warren, to the
manager of the western branch OF
the Bank of England. This was in
April, 1872. Large sums were de-
posted from time to time and
drawn out in a regular way, during
which they studied and became fa-
miliar with the course of business
in London The confederates now
had deposit account, and sigma
ture which the bank would treat
with a certain amount of respect.
This was the thin end of the wedge
but much was to be done before
they could drive it home. In the
course of their dealings with stocks
and bonds during the summer and
fall they discovered that in present.
ing an accepted bill of exchange to
be discounted at a bank, the bill
was not sent to the acceptor to be
o. KID, as is the universal custom
in America. The bank there sim
ply waits until the bill is due, and
then presents it for payment. Here,
then, was an opening, and they
proceeded to put in operation their
scheme of fraud. During the months
September and October they passed
sometime in the large cities on the
continent, particularly at Amster'
dam, to make themselves thor
oughly acquainted with the stand.
ing of various commercial houses
This done, they were now ready fol
operations. :,
AS the first move, Austin Bidwel
called at the bank and gave the
manager some Portuguese stock to
sell for him, amounting to severa
thousand pounds, and INFORMED
him that he was about to Introduce
an improved railwas,' brake, and t.
establish a mandatory at Bir
mingham for Pullman's sleeping
cars, which were to prove a wonder
full success. He also said that n
would have occasion, probably, t.
have his bills discounted from
time to time. His manners i'm
pressed the manager very favora
bly. The confederates next pro
cured, by purchase, genuine bills Q
exchange on various large houses
among others one of 945OO drawn b.
the Rotchschilds on the Londol
house. These bills had variou
dates and ran for three months
They served two purposes. The
were paid into Warren's account q
the bank and they were models to
the intended forgeries. These bill
were discounted along the month
{ of December, 1872, and Januar,
1873, by Austin Bidwell, under tn
name of F. A. Warren, but tn
banks confidence was not CON
pletely gained until 18th OF Jan'
arv when "Mr. +. A. Warren
called. threw down the Rothschild
. bill with somewhat of fiouris
and said to the manager. "Ther
9 I suppose that is good enough Il
! YOU" This was the trump car
= and the game was in the hands I
- the confederates. The conhden'
of the bank had been complete
gained and a few days afterwa'
o the forgers commenced bushes
"Mr. Warren now informed Il
manager that his business va:
: rapidly increasing in Birmingha
!! that his time would be fully occ
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